3/4" thick steel,guessing shop made,is stamped only R.B....maybe meant to be clamped in vise...???? TIA

I am going to say a Blacksmith's Filing Vise/Clamp. I agree that it is meant to be clamped in a larger vise, and made by the Blacksmith. I am also going to say that they were made at specific angles for knife filing.

I think you guys are right.  You can see the lugs on the side to hold it on top of the jaws. I've got one about that size and also a smaller one. My big one is cruder than the one pictured but is also made of 3/4 inch stock.

The smaller one is made of 1/2 inch square stock and is called a "vise jockey". It was patented by Carl Petersen on May 6, 1952, no. 2,595,699 and looks pretty much like the patent drawing.

Mike

A "vice jockey" , interesting. So how is this tool to be used? With the angle of the jaws and the sharp serrations , my guess is that it would be handy to hold something in a near horizontal position, or maybe clamp something to be pulled on , .. leather harness working ??

Joe B

seems pretty heavy duty to me,that rivet looks the same on the other end...guess it would take some serious tool to squash it???

I'm guessing there is a hole or an indent to accept the rivet head. These are used as filing guides, for knives and other edge tools. The angle of the vise jockey is set at the filing angle, that way the file can be used horizontally for a consistent angle.I will double check with one of my coworkers who has been learning the Blacksmith trade.

i looked closer,one side is different,can see where the center was peened over